• printer friendly
• mail this article
• iPod format
• digg

Photo

Donn Yu (right), a third-year history student, plays guitar with Mark Harrison, a fourth-year phy

Those who pass by the Ackerman conference rooms every Thursday night might be wondering why people are walking around with guitars and from where the sound of amps and rock tunes are coming. The noisy melodies are from the UCLA Music Club, a group where the students and professors who make up its membership unite weekly to hold jam sessions, form bands, or just hang out and talk about their favorite tunes.

The Music Club is unlike any other because of its relaxed atmosphere – there is no set agenda, and the meetings usually consist of members freely going off to form different groups in all corners of the room, jamming to their own songs.

The membership roster boasts over 100 people, who usually come and go as the quarter goes on.

Chemistry Professor Eric Scerri has been part of the music club for about five years and is planning to start a set of master classes in blues and rock for fellow members within the next couple weeks. These classes will help both beginners and intermediates learn to master the art of playing these music styles.

“I’ve been playing blues and rock since I was a kid, and I like to share my knowledge of the music,” Scerri said.

Members are encouraged to bring an instrument with them if they want to play, although people who do not have an instrument and prefer to listen are welcome. Most members bring their guitars and a small amp because it is the easiest to carry. But they have had members who bring in full drum sets.

Many bands have formed because of the Music Club and have gone on to perform at local venues such as The Whiskey, Coconut Teasers and even UCLA’s annual Spring Sing. In 2000, a Music Club band named the B-Team won the Rose Bowl Bruins Award for the best duet entry.

The club’s founder, Helen Parish, a research associate in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, started the club in 1997 because she wanted to bring together those in the community who shared her passion for music.

“The Music Club was founded for those who wanted to play music and meet other musicians,” Parish said. “It is an opportunity for people interested in music to meet other musicians, form bands, look for band members, or just talk about music.”

Mark Harrison, a fourth-year physics student, has been a member of the Music Club on and off for about three years. He attends the meetings to meet new people and jam on his guitar with others.

“The meetings are basically a free-for-all where everybody is off on their own doing their musical thing,” Harrison said.

At the end of each quarter, the Music Club organizes a Band Night where members perform either with their bands or by themselves in the Cooperage.

“Band Night encourages people who have never been on stage before the chance to perform in front of their peers,” Parish said.

Newcomer Melissa Hoang, a first-year undeclared student, plays the piano and came to the meeting to expand her musical horizons .

“The open atmosphere looked interesting, and I am going to become a regular and even bring my keyboard to future meetings,” Hoang said.